Barrow AFC could be set appoint former Reading manager Noel Hunt as their next head coach, with bookmakers making him one of the favourites in the running for the League Two club’s managerial vacancy.
The Bluebirds parted company with Andy Whing earlier this month after a difficult run of results left the club languishing just above the relegation zone.
Interim boss Neil McDonald has taken charge in the short term, but speculation has intensified over who will take the role permanently. According to the latest betting markets, Hunt and McDonald are among the leading contenders, with both names attracting strong support from UK bookmakers.
Hunt, 43, is currently without a club after being sacked by Reading in October 2025. He had taken over at the Berkshire club in December 2024, his first full managerial appointment after progressing from coaching roles, but left with the team inside the bottom half of League One.
A former Republic of Ireland international and fan favourite at Reading during a prolific playing career, Hunt is seen as a “modern coach with recent first-team leadership experience” by betting analysts. Despite a mixed record in his sole season in the Reading dugout, he only managed three wins in 14 league matches in his final campaign, his availability and connection with the English game have made him an appealing option for clubs looking to steady their season.
Barrow’s current odds place Hunt alongside interim boss McDonald in the upper echelons of the market, with other names such as Darren Ferguson and former Everton full-back Leighton Baines also in contention. Of those, Ferguson is often slightly ahead in some lists, but Hunt’s position reflects confidence that a younger, upwardly mobile coach could be the right fit for the Holker Street side.
AFC Barrow, who won promotion back to the Football League in 2020 and have spent the last few seasons battling in League Two, will hope a new manager can arrest their slide and push the club into midtable security ahead of the new year. The club’s board are expected to hold talks with the frontrunners soon, with an appointment likely before the January transfer window opens.
Supporters will be watching closely to see if Hunt, who remains popular among many Reading fans for his service both on and off the pitch, can translate his experience into a managerial renaissance in Cumbria.
